Jersey: Bone and teeth found at Haut de la Garenne are human

Jersey police say there could be evidence of a dead child or children in cellars at the former children’s home at Haut de la Garenne.

They confirmed that about 30 bone fragments and seven children’s teeth had been found at the site, where more than 100 people claim they were physically and sexually abused.

Police said 10 of the bone fragments had been identified as human, while the other 20 had been found in the past two weeks as part of the ongoing abuse investigation.

Some of the bones could have been burned or cut and police said there was a fireplace area in one of the cellars. The fragments have been sent to the UK for testing.

In a statement this week, police said the finds did not mean they were launching a murder inquiry. “That depends on the dates which we receive back on all the bones. What we do know is that we have more than one set of teeth and we have more than one set of bones,” it said.

“It is possible that we may be able to find DNA from the teeth and bones. What we do not know yet regarding the bone fragments and teeth is who that person is or how they died,” the statement added.

The investigation is examining abuse claims dating from the 1950s until the home’s closure in 1986, when it became a youth hostel.

Police said the number of victims had been narrowed to 116 – from 160 – and there are 70 suspects, all of whom are alive.